JUST IN: INEC Registers Two New Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the registration of two new political parties: the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the decision on Thursday during the commission’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja.

Amupitan said the approvals followed a review process that began after INEC received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking recognition as political parties. Fourteen groups met the initial pre-qualification requirements, and eight of them proceeded to upload their documents to the commission’s portal.

The eight associations were the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP), and the Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).

According to the chairman, only two groups advanced to the final stage of assessment for compliance with the constitution and the Electoral Act.

He said the DLA met all legal requirements after the review and has been approved for registration.

Amupitan added that the NDC’s registration followed a court directive. He cited a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja, Kogi State, in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, which ordered INEC to register the party.

INEC said certificates of registration will be issued to the two parties in due course.